Blood Stains
by Luciferkaine
Summary: One-shot that extends a scene in Mantaic. Heavy on the YuriXEstelle. Really just fluff that occured while I was playing.


**Disclaimer: **Tales of Vesperia is not mine but I do own a copy :P

**A/N:** Italics is quoted from the game itself… ***SPOILERS* **scene occurs after Flynn confronts Yuri about Cumore and Ragou.

"_So, you heard it all?" Yuri asked, as Estelle walked towards him._

_She nodded. "I'm sorry."_

_Yuri drew closer to her. "Are you afraid of me Estelle?"_

_When she didn't answer he walked past her. "If you are, you can quit right here. Join Flynn and go back to the castle."_

"…_I'm not going back." He turned at her words._

"_Hey..." He started._

"_It's true the things you've done are against the law. But I… I'm confused. It's also true that your actions saved the lives of others…" She gestured towards the celebrating townsfolk; his eyes followed, and then closed in fear._

"_You never know, someday I might turn my blade on you."_

"_You'd never do something like that without a reason." She almost smiled, "If you ever end up pointing your sword at me, I'm sure I will have done something to deserve it."_

_He sighed in frustration. "If you're going to go with Flynn now's your chance. He seemed like he was in a hurry."_

"_No." She said firmly, "I'm going to continue on this journey with you. It's what I want. Traveling with you, I know I'll find the right path for myself, too." She dropped her head. "So what I'm thinking is…" She closed the distance between them extending her hand towards him, "Here's to the road ahead."_

_Yuri looks to his hand imaging it to be drenched in the blood of Ragou and Cumore, and then to her bright hopeful eyes. He dropped his hand._

"_Thanks." He hesitated a moment longer afraid of staining her white gloves with his crimes, but took her hand. She smiled._

Estelle laid her other hand over theirs "I have faith in you Yuri."

He dropped her hand and moved towards the water, patting Repede, who ran off.

"I only wish I deserved it."

Estelle frowned. "But why wouldn't you?" She halted behind him. "Yuri. Are you afraid?"

He shook his head. "Of what I am capable? Of crossing that line?" he scoffed. "I know I've already crossed. And I don't regret it. So no. I'm not afraid, I should be but I'm not."

Estelle tentatively laid a hand on his back, he turned to face her.

"I know you don't want to return to the castle but perhaps you should at least go to Nordopolica with Flynn. Find someone else to protect you on your journey, someone you don't have to be afraid of."

She smiled again, making Yuri's chest ache. "Can't you see? I don't want to travel someone else, I'm not afraid of what you have done, or could do. I…" She bit her lip as she brought a hand up to brush aside the hair that obscured his face.

"Estelle…" He breathed, searching her eyes for any doubt.

"I only want you at my side." She drew him towards her closing her eyes as she brushed her lips against his, tentatively.

Yuri shuddered and put his hands on her waist pulling her against him, and kissed her gently. She tangled her hand in his hair and returned the kiss with passion.

Almost as soon as it had begun Yuri pushed her from him breathing heavily.

"No Estelle, I will protect you, follow where you lead but I can't…" he moved away towards the trees.

Tears stung her eyes as she followed. "Can't what? See me as anything but a princess? Is that all you've ever seen?"

He rounded on her. "No, you are so much more, but it does not erase your title. And I don't deserve you!" Estelle backed against a tree and jumped when his hand hit the bark next to her head, as he panted glaring at her, every inch the wild and dangerous being she had first thought him when he coolly took out those guards in the castle so long ago.

She shook her head, "I don't care." Her hand clutched his shirt, "Please Yuri…"

"Oh hell Estelle…" He crashed into her then kissing her desperately, lips trailing down to her neck. She whispered his name again then gasped as a drunken reveler cried out close to them. Yuri pulled her down into a crouch and looked towards the intruder.

"They saw nothing." He assured her, smiling as he caressed her cheek. His smile faded a bit as he regarded her. "Whatever this is, Estelle, between us, we can't tell the others." His eyes pleaded with her as she hesitated. She kissed his hair as she stood. "I can do that." She pulled him up as they heard a bark. One last smile and they dropped each others hands, walking back towards the inn.


End file.
